Combination cartridge



Sept. 27, 1966 P. E. JOHNSON 3,274,934

COMBINATION CARTRIDGE Filed Nov. 13, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Sept. 27, 1966 P. E. JOHNSON 3,274,934

COMBINATION CARTRIDGE Filed Nov. 13, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 27, 1966 P. E. JOHNSON 3,274,934

COMBINATION CARTRIDGE Filed Nov. 13, 1964 5 SheetsSheet 3 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,274,934 COMBINATION CARTRIDGE Philip E. Johnson, Malden, Mass, assignor of fifty percent to Michael C. Lessa, Wakefield, Mass. Filed Nov. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 411,054 Claims. (Cl. 102-38) My invention pertains to military cartridges, more particularly my invention pertains to cartridges for pistols, rifies, machine guns, and like weaponry.

The main object of my invention is to provide a combination cartridge modified so that it can be used either to fire a projectile from a conventional firearm, or alternatively so that it may be used as an efiiective land mine, or alternatively so that it may be rigged as a booby trap.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combination cartridge wherein the dimensions and configurations are coequal to those of standard military cart-ridges to the extent that they may be packed in the same maga- Zines, cartridge belts, ammunition cases, and the like, and so that said combination cartridges may be fired from the same weapons as conventional cartridges. This does not preclude the possibility of modifying said weaponry and cartridge containers to increase their efiicient use of the instant invention.-

Another object of my invention is to provide a combination cartridge, which due to the aforesaid properties, may be furnished to our troops along with their conventional ammunition in percentages predetermined by terrain and tactics. For example, paratroopers, commandos, and rear guards should be supplied with a greater percentage of combination cartridges than standard combat troops.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combination cartridge of such simplicity of manufacture, low cost, compactness, convenience, and availability when and where needed, that our troops can use booby traps and land mines in quantities and places never before possible.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combination cartridge which can be manually or mechanically planted as a land mine. Said mechanical planting to be performed by machines similar in nature to farm equipment and attachable to jeeps, trucks, and tanks.

Another main object of my invention is to reduce casualties among our troops and to reduce the dollar cost of battle.

Another object of my invention is to reduce the manpower needed to guard military installations and objectives.

Another object of my invention is to provide means of effectively dealing with infiltration, night attack, and attack by numerically superior infantry.

Another object of my invention is to provide a means to prevent enemy usage of those features of terrain that are shielded from the field of fire of our small arms. That is, those areas behind rocks, trees, and in small gullies, and other protected areas wherein enemy infantry would normally take cover, and wherefrom said enemy would normally deploy to fire upon our troops. Said areas of protected terrain should be so heavily mined with combination cartridges that said areas become denied ground. The bulk of the enemy infantry would then be forced to remain in terrain that is open to our field of small arms fire. Such open ground should be planted With combination cartridges in a pattern called slow ground wherein the density of combination cartridges gradually increases to psychologically dishearten, confuse and discourage, as well as disable and kill. Thereby,

slowing down the momentum of the enemy infantry attack. Maximum density of said slow ground should 3,274,934 Patented Sept. 27, 1966 be calculated to cooperate with the most effective range of our small arms and other weapons.

Another main object of my invention is to stop the enemy foot soldier by attacking and disabling the feet thereof.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent to one skilled in the related arts from the following illustrations and descriptions thereof.

FIGURE 1 is a longitiudinal section of an embodiment of my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the projectile portion of another embodiment of my invention.

FIGURE .3 is a longitudinal section of the projectile portion of yet another embodiment of my invention.

FIGURE 4 is a schematic projectile ofthe actuation of this invention.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic illustration of another use of this invention.

(FIGURE 1 is an enlarged cross sectional view of one preferred embodiment of my invention wherein combination cartridge .1 comprises a case 2 containing a primer 4 for detonating explosive charge 5 when said combination cartridge 1 is fired from a rifle or other weapon. The hollow projectile i3 is provided with a removable actuating pin 14. Depression of said actuating pin 14 by an enemy soldier, correspondingly depresses actuating pin base rod 15, which compresses acceleration spring 10, which presses upon firing pin *8, thereby rupturing shear pin 9 at a predetermined pressure. Said firing pin '8 is snapped forward by the above mentioned forces and the action of the acceleration spring 10. Said firing pin 8 accelerates through the acceleration chamber 7, gaining sufficient velocity to ignite primer 6 and thereby detonate explosive charge '5, thus firing the projectile 3 and thereby disabling or killing said enemy soldier.

Greater projectile velocity, if desired, can be achieved in numerous ways including, but not limited to the following:

('A) Increasing the burst strength of the case 2 by means familiar to those knowledgeable in the arts, such as increasing wall thickness, changing alloy or heat treatment, laminating by adding layers of steel, fiberglass, or other strong material, plating high strength alloys or by other methods.

B) Extend case 2 for as long a distance as is practicable along projectile 3. This may necessitate rechambering correspondingly the associated firearms.

(C) Slipping combination cartridge 1 into a suitably design high-strength tube could increase projectile velocities to the range of pistol velocities.

(D) Modifying or increasing the explosive charge 5.

An abutment shoulder 17 (or a constricting taper) is provided to prevent blow-through of the inner components of said projectile 3 or of the explosive force.

When actuating pin 14 is not installed in the porjectile 3, the opening should be sealed against dirt and moisture with a removable or penetrable cap of plastic or other suitable material.

Suitable waterproofing, corrosion proofing, camouflage, and lubrication will be adapted to suit the caliber, material, and other design features of the combination cartridge.

FIGURE Q and FIGURE 3 show additional preferred embodiments of my invention illustrating only two of a great number of varities of components and arrangements thereof that can be arranged within the hollow projectile 3, and still fall within the scope and claims of my invention.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a one piece actuating and firing pin 12.

The design of the acceleration spring 10, and the acceleration chamber 7 are dependent upon and cooperate with the nature and the sensitivity of the primer 6. But either or both could be eliminated if primers responsive to low velocities are used or developed to detonate the explosive charge 5.

As shown in FIGURE 5, depicting a simple perpendicular cross wire headed actuating pin 16, the outer end of the actuating pins 11, 12, and 14, can be adapted or moditied in numerous ways for various purposes, and still fall within the scope and claims of my invention.

FIGURE 4 illustrates one alternative use of my invention wherein a combination cartridge :1 is planted as a land mine so that both the case 2 and the projectile 3 are concealed in the earth 31. Only the small actuating pin 14 protrudes above the earth 31 and is hidden from view by the grass 32 and/or other camouflage. The foot 33 of an enemy soldier is shown as it is about to depress actuating pin '14 thereby activating combination cartridge 1 causing projectile 3 to pierce the foot 33, and possibly to inflict additional wounds in the leg, abdomen, or upper body thus either disabling or killing the enemy.

FIGURE illustrates one of the many alternative uses of my invention, wherein a padded item of furniture 34 such as a bed, mattress, chair, sofa, or the like conceals a booby trap comprising a combination cartridge 1, a means of backing up the explosive force such as a book 35, metal plate, firm piece of wood or other suitable material. The more substantial this backing up material 3 5, the better will be the results. Preferably this sort of booby trap is provided with a simple perpendicular cross wire headed actuating pin '16.

Dotted line 36 represents, in phantom, an enemy soldier about to sit, lie, or rest upon said padded item of furniture '34 thus depressing actuating pin '16, detonating combination cartridge 1, thus firing projectile 3, and, thereby, disabling or killing said enemy.

Although the velocity of the projectile 3 will be substantially less when combination cartridge 1 is used either as a booby trap or land mine than the velocity when fired from a rifle, said projectile 3 is normally approximately /2 inch from the enemys body when it is detonated. Therefore, there is no problem of accuracy, trajectory, or aim. If an enemy soldier detonates a combination cartridge 1, he will inescapably be wounded by the projectile 3. In addition to the wound inflicted by the projectile '3, the killing and disabling power of the combination cartridge 1 is further augmented because much of the explosive force is directed against a portion of the enemys body. Moreover, due to the devastatingly close range, serious powder burns are inflicted in and about the wounded area, especially if particles of white phosphorous, napalm packets, or other incendiary and/or inflammable material are suitably adapted and included in the cartridge.

'Having thus illustrated and described my invention I claim:

1. An ammunition cartridge of the class described, a cartridge having a generally tubular casing having an open end and a closed end, a cartridge primer inserted in said closed end, a propellant within said cartridge in structural and functional contact with said cartridge primer, an elongated projectile having forward and rearward ends, said rearward end extending in said cartridge casing and closing said open end of said casing, said projectile having a longitudinal bore extending entirely through said projectile, a projectile primer closing said bore at the rearward end of said projectile and in structural and functional contact with said propellant, a firing means within said bore extending forwardly of said forward end of said projectile, shearing means connecting said firing means to said projectile, said firing means when actuated functions to actuate said projectile primer which in turn actuates said propellant, said propellant being alternatively actuated by said cartridge primer or said projectile primer.

2. The cartridge defined by claim 1, wherein said firing means is a solid one piece member extending through said bore and forwardly of said projectile forward end, said shearing means extending transversely of said projectile bore and in contact with said firing means and said projectile.

3. The cartridge defined by claim 1, said firing means including a contact portion extending in said bore and further extending forwardly of said forward end, a separate firing pin in said bore for contacting said projectile primer, a spring in said bore separating said contact portion and said firing pin, said shearing means extending transversely in said bore in contact with said firing pin and said projectile.

4. The cartridge defined by claim 3 wherein said firing pin means is displaced substantially from said projectile primer to define an accelerating chamber for said firing pin.

5. The combination of a cartridge casing having an open end and a closed end, a first primer in the closed end, a propellant within said cartridge casing adapted to be activated by said first primer, a projectile extending into said casing and closing the open end of said casing, a second primer supported by said projectile and adapted to actuate said propellant, firing means housed within said projectile, and shearing means connecting said firing means to said projectile; said firing means being adapted to actuate said second primer which in turn actuates said propellant.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 811,048 1/ 1906 Friedel 102--8 X 1,3 3 8,802 5/ 1920 Walker 102-5 6 2,372,970 4/ 1945 Mitchell 10256 3,118,508 1/ 1964 Friedman et al 102-24 BENJAMIN A. :BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

R. F. STAHL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN AMMUNITION CARTRIDGE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, A CARTRIDGE HAVING A GENERALLY TUBULAR CASING HAVING AN OPEN END AND CLOSED END, A CARTRIDGE PRIMER INSERTED IN SAID CLOSED END, A PROPELLANT WITHIN SAID CARTRIDGE IN STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL CONTACT WITH SAID CARTRIDGE PRIMER, AN ELONGATED PROJECTILE HAVING FORWARD AND REWARD ENDS SAID REWARD END EXTENDING IN SAID CARTRIDGE CASING AND CLOSING SAID OPEN END OF SAID CASING, SAID PROJECTILE HAVING A LONGITUDINAL BORE EXTENDING ENTIRELY THROUGH SAID PROJECTILE, A PROJECTILE PRIMER CLOSING SAID BORE AT THE REARWARD END OF SAID PROJECTILE AND IN STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL CONTACT WITH SAID PROPELLANT, A FIRING MEANS WITHIN SAID BORE EXTENDING FORWARDLY OF SAID FORWARD END OF SAID PROFILE, SHARING MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRING MEANS TO SAID PROJECTILE, SAID FIRING MEANS WHEN ACTUATED FUNCTIONS TO ACTUATE SAID PROJECTILE, PRIMER WHICH IN TURN ACTUATES SAID PROPELLANT, SAID PROPELLANT BEING ALTERNATIVELY ACTUATED BY SAID CARTRIDGE PRIMER OF SAID PROJECTILE PRIMER. 